Tibetan soccer tournament concludes in Dharamsala

June 11, 2009

Asian News International/DailyIndia.com

Dharamsala, June 10: The Gyalyum Chemo Memorial Gold Cup (GCMGC) soccer tournament, hosted by Tibetans living-in-exile in India, concluded with the Prime Minister in exile awarding the winning team with the gold cup.

The GCMGC soccer tournament, named after the mother of the Dalai Lama, ended on a high note with the winning team lifting the gold cup.

The match played between Potala Club from Mundgod in Andhra Pradesh, and the team from Chennai, witnessed a huge turnout from Tibetan football lovers. The tournament won by Mundgod Potala FC.

The Tibetan Prime Minister-in-exile, Samdhong Rinpoche, who felicitated the winning team, said the tournament was aimed at promoting a spirit of healthy and fair competition amongst the young Tibetans.

"Now, games have become popular all over the world. It is said to be imparting the education to the younger generation for fairness and healthy competition. There should be a displaying and fair competitor that is only our expectation," Rinpoche said.

The ten-day tournament saw eighteen teams of Tibetan expatriates from different parts of India and Nepal competing with each other for the trophy.

The game of soccer has been regarded as a symbol of love, peace and unity. The tournament became a platform to display the Tibetan identity through sports.

"This is the platform where we select a Tibetan national team and new players. We have found many new talented players. I hope that the strength of Tibetan national team will go up," said Kelsang, Executive General Secretary, Tibetan National Sports Association (TNSA).

The TNSA has been organising the GCMGC soccer tournament, which was first held in 1981.

The event also serves as a meeting ground for Tibetan exiles living across India and parts of Nepal, to come together on a common platform.